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RHOVVKG/COMSEVENTHFLT
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 NEW DELHI 003181 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NP, AC, PM 
 
STATE FOR INR/MR 
 
STATE FOR SCA/INS, PM/CBM, PM/PRO 
 
STATE FOR SCA/PPD, PA/RRU 
 
STATE FOR AID/APRE-A 
 
USDOC FOR 4530/IEP/ANESA/OSA FOR BILL MURPHY 
 
E.O. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV PREL IN
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: INDIA/PAKISTAN RELATIONS, IRAQ, 
TERRORISM, GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS; NEW DELHI. 
 
This cable reports on relevant media reaction from 
India's large non-English press. Embassy New Delhi 
reports on English-language media via email in the daily 
"Early Edition."  USG customers please write to Geeta 
Krishali (KrishaliG@state.gov) to subscribe to the "Early 
Edition." 
 
------------------------ 
INDIA/PAKISTAN RELATIONS 
------------------------ 
 
¶1. "LETS RID OURSELVES OF THE FEAR PSYCHOSIS OVER 
PAKISTAN'S NUCLEAR ARMS" op-ed article by retired air 
marshal P L Purohit in the December 18, 2008, Mumbai 
edition of centrist Marathi daily SAKAAL.  "Pakistan is 
acting under international pressure as of now. But once 
the pressure recedes, the notorious neighbor is bound to 
go back to its treacherous ways leaving very little scope 
of action for India. To guard India against such a 
situation, our rulers should start thinking of various 
long-term options to deal with Pakistan. India can choose 
a variety of options, the most obvious being snapping 
diplomatic and trade ties with Pakistan. But this option 
does not work with Pakistan. An economic blockade of 
Pakistan would have worked if Pakistan had been dependent 
on India.... So we are left with the option of military 
action against Pakistan. Of course a superpower like the 
U.S. will not support this military option because it 
does not serve U.S. geo-political interests. But the 
point is why should India fall prey to the fear 
(systematically instilled by the U.S.) of Pakistani 
nuclear arms? It is true that India will have to bear the 
brunt if Pakistan uses nuclear weapons against India. But 
Pakistan will also suffer a worse retaliatory attack. And 
this fear of retaliation will make Pakistan think thrice 
(if not more) before using nuclear arms..." 
 
¶2. "PAKISTAN'S DILEMMA" editorial in December 18 Guwahati 
Assamese left-of-center AJIR ASOM.  "...Apparently, 
Pakistan's army chief Kiyani did not like Prime Minister 
Gilani's sympathetic and supportive attitude towards 
India, and subsequent developments reflected this... 
Pakistan's current overtures clearly show how much power 
the army wields over its politics and system... Although 
Pakistan, under tremendous U.S. pressure, took certain 
steps against terrorist outfits, India considered it a 
mere face-saving strategy... Now, the question is how long 
will India keep its patience in view of Pakistan's 
defiant and non-cooperative stand?  On the other hand, it 
is also doubtful whether the army's interference will 
allow Zardari and Gilani to do their job without risking 
their position..." 
 
¶3. "THE MOTIVE OF THE MUMBAI ATTACK AND THE ILLUSION OF 
WORLD VICTORY," commentary in the December 17 influential 
Kolkata bimonthly DESH by senior editor Sumit Mitra.  "It 
is hard to say which act of the internal power play is 
being staged at this moment in Pakistan. However, the 
Pakistani Army no doubt wants to send out a strong signal 
to President-elect Barack Obama through the Lashkar-e- 
Toiba by organizing such an abominable massacre in 
 
NEW DELHI 00003181  002 OF 004 
 
 
Mumbai. The suggestion is clear: Let Washington refrain 
from exerting diplomatic pressure on Pakistan to 
establish a democratic regime in the country. The Army 
wants to run the government from the cantonment or they 
will exploit a puppet government at their will. They want 
America to stop providing support to India. They caution 
the U.S. Government from operationalizing the civilian 
nuclear deal with India and want the Americans quit 
Afghanistan along with the Karzai government. In return 
they may shut al-Qaeda's anti-American operations. A 
secret brotherhood of the Pakistani Generals has shown 
just a snippet of probable consequences if the incoming 
Obama Administration does not yield to their pressure... 
Unbridled power seems to have infiltrated not only into 
Pakistan's societal existence but also into every pore of 
the country's army and the government." 
 
---- 
IRAQ 
---- 
 
¶4. "AL-ZAIDI HAS DONE WRONG BY THROWING SHOES," analysis 
in the December 18 Bengali daily, SAMBAD PRATIDIN by 
Associate Editor Kunal Ghosh.   "Probably this is a 
sensitive issue. Still it is better to call spade a 
spade. The Iraqi television journalist Muntader al-Zaidi 
did not do a right thing by throwing shoes at President 
Bush, rather he has committed wrong. Nothing could be 
said had Zaidi been an ordinary citizen and his deeds 
reflected the attitude of the Iraqi sentiment. In that 
case we could have encouraged interpretation of Iraqi 
people's anger by analyzing what Zaidi had said while 
tossing his shoes to Bush. For, what Bush has committed 
in the name of combating terrorism cannot be supported. 
The way countless people died or wounded and hundreds of 
thousands of families have been ruined in Iraq or in 
Afghanistan is unpardonable. Still in my opinion, Zaidi 
was not justified. Since Zaidi is a journalist he has 
committed a sin by throwing shoes. Zaidi got an entry to 
the press conference by virtue of his professional 
identity. Journalists gain access to different important 
places and can rub their shoulders with VVIPs so they can 
suitably discharge their professional duties. That does 
not mean that they will personally attack someone or 
dishonor somebody and will let their uncontrolled emotion 
overflow by exploiting the opportunity. It is a crime if 
any journalist hits someone at a press conference even 
with a pen instead of with a pair of shoes. I cannot 
bestow heroism on Zaidi. I would rather say that each and 
every journalist across the globe should be 
professionally ashamed of what Zaidi has done. They 
should become more cautious. Because of such deeds the 
state power gets an opportunity to wield its control over 
the media more ferociously." 
 
--------- 
TERRORISM 
--------- 
 
¶5. "TWO STEPS AGAINST TERRORISM," editorial in December 
17 DAINIK JAGRAN Hindi daily: "The Indian government has 
 
NEW DELHI 00003181  003 OF 004 
 
 
finally introduced bills to create a federal agency to 
combat terror and to strengthen the existing Unlawful 
Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act. But is it enough 
to pass bills? Do we have the political will to fight 
terrorism? Terrorism can be checked only if the NIA 
works. Similarly, the anti-terror law would be effective 
when it really discourages the anti-national elements. It 
is more important to implement these laws correctly and 
carefully. A firm political will, which the government 
lacks, is required for this... These steps taken by the 
government against terrorism could also be false because 
its priority is to win election. Despite the Mumbai 
massacre, the working ethics of our policymakers has not 
yet changed as it should have. So, this has raised doubts 
about their intentions." 
 
¶6. "AT LEAST NOW U.S. ATTITUDE SHOULD CHANGE," op-ed 
article in December  17 DAINIK BHASKAR Hindi daily by 
strategic affairs specialist Brahma  Chellaney: "The 
recent Mumbai terrorist assaults underline the imperative 
for a major change in U.S. policy on Pakistan- a shift 
that holds the key to the successful outcome of both the 
war in Afghanistan and the wider international fight 
against transnational terror.... Without balanced civil- 
military relations Pakistan will neither become a normal 
state nor cease to be a "Terroristan" for international 
security. Despite the continued U.S. aid Pakistan gives 
shelter to the world's most wanted terrorists. Further 
aid should be linked to definitive measures by Pakistan 
to sever institutional support to extremism. Only when 
the institutional support for terrorism is irrevocably 
cut off will the sanctuaries for training, command, 
control, and supply begin to wither away. Unless the US 
reverses course on Pakistan, it will begin losing the war 
in Afghanistan. Before the chickens come home to roost, 
the U.S. pampering of the Pakistani military has to end." 
 
¶7. "TERRORISM AND LEGISLATION", editorial in December 17, 
2008 right-of-center Urdu daily "SIASAT", Hyderabad: 
"Some organizations active in the country are making all 
out efforts to dissuade the government from playing a 
proactive role in waging war against terrorism. People's 
recent experiences show that terrorism, ignoring the 
supremacy of law, trampled human rights and massacred 
guileless, innocent citizens. These terrorists are 
already a challenge for international law agencies. They, 
through the acts of some organizations, are trying to 
pitch different peoples and nations against each other so 
that dread and alarm may occur everywhere." 
 
¶8. "FEEBLE LAWS" editorial in the December 18, 2008 
multi-edition right-of-center Gujarati daily GUJARAT 
SAMACHAR.  "....the Indian political class seems to have 
come out of their hibernation, as is evident from the 
constitution of a National (Federal) Investigating Agency 
and making amendments to the existing Unlawful Activities 
Prevention Act (UAPA) to meet the challenges of 
terrorism.  However, what the government doesn't seem to 
comprehend is the fact that such agencies will prove to 
be inadequate and ill-equipped if they are not 
supplemented by tougher laws to deal with terrorists who 
 
NEW DELHI 00003181  004 OF 004 
 
 
carry out acts of terror with hand-held grenades and AK 
47 guns.  A law should be such that anyone who dares to 
violate it assumes that she/he will not be spared.  It is 
good to know that government has become vigilant after 
the Mumbai terror attacks but it shouldn't forget that 
the people of this nation have now become more 
vigilant!...  India is a 'soft' target for terrorists 
because they know the laws here are feeble and 
toothless.  Terrorism can be crushed not by simple laws 
but by stringent laws." 
 
----------------------- 
GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS 
----------------------- 
 
¶9. "AN IMPENDING DANGER", editorial in December 16, 2008 
right-of-center Islamist bi-weekly "DAWAT", New Delhi: 
"The global financial crisis, which engulfed America, is 
getting wider day by day. A large part of Europe feels 
that the present economic system prevalent throughout the 
length and breadth of the world is forced upon it by 
America and Britain. It was envisaged to get rid of the 
market recession of 1930. It was reframed in 1944. The 
aforesaid feeling is not restricted to Europe only. The 
emerging economics too feel that the present global 
financial system is based on immoderation and injustice. 
Injustice is inherent in it. In this system, the only 
ones taken care of are those who envisaged the system. No 
care has been taken for others. It seems that efforts are 
being made to create a particular type of situation in 
the world. The Iraq drama is one of its glaring examples. 
The Afghanistan drama was staged for the same objectives. 
Now, it seems that another drama is in the offing so that 
fresh blood may be supplied to the market economy. It is 
really a great danger." 
MULFORD